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A 


SERMON 


DELIVERED IN BOSTON BEFORE THE 


CONVENTION 


OF 


Congregational Ministers in Massachusetts 


May 29, 1823. 


—_— 


BY LEONARD WOODS, D. D. 
wes 


ABBOT PROF. OF CH. THEOL. IN THE THEOL. SEM, ANDOVER. 


—_— 


BOSTON: 


PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY LINGOLN & EDMANDS, 53 coRNAIEL.. 


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SERMON. 


2 Cor. 10, 4. 


FOR THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE ARE NOT CARNAL. 


THE office of the first propagators of Christianity 
is here represented as a warfare; and their success is, 
in the same verse, represented as a victory. This 
representation implies, not only that there was a real 
opposition against the Apostles, but that the opposition 
was powerful, and hard to be overcome. As the cause 
they maintained, was the cause of truth and holiness; 
they had to contend with error, superstition, impiety— 
with wickedness in every form. But in the prosecu- 
tion of this warfare, they employed no instruments of 
cruelty, no bodily force, no arts of deception. They 
simply declared divine truth, and exhibited benevolence 
and piety in their conduct, To support the truth, 
when assaulted, they relied upon sound, conclusive 
arguments, stated justly and forcibiy, without any 
mixture of human passion. The victory they sought 
and obtained was correspondent with the nature of 
their warfare. It was not the subjugation of their 
fellow-creatures, nor their own aggrandizement. It 
was the overthrow of error and iniquity—the destruc- 
tion of what was hurtful to the soul, and dishonorable 
to God. It was the conversion of men from sin to 
holiness, —the sanctification and eternal blessedness of 


God’s people, © 


4 


The ministers of religion, at the present day, must 
engage in a warfare, which, in the most important 
respects, resembles that of the Apostles. It is as real 
a warfare, because the’ unconverted world now make 
as real opposition to Christianity, as they did in the 
days of the Apostles. And the warfare is of the same 
general nature, because the opposition to be overcome 
arises from the same principles of the human heart. 

But I would not stop with this general statement of 
the sense of the text. It will be proper for me, on 
the présent occasion, to remark, more particularly and 
fully, on the nature antl circumstances of the warfare, 
in which the ministers of Christ are called to engage ; 
on the instruments they are to employ; and on the 
manner in which they are to employ them. 

We are, jist, to consider the nature and cir- 
éumstances of our warfare. Wherever we g0, 
brethren, in the discharge of our sacred office, we 
find the prevalence of error. If, prompted by a 
shocked with the gross and monstrous conceptions 
they entertain on the whole subject of religion and 
morals. Never did the Apostles encounter greater ig- 
norafice or error, than, what now exists universally in 
pagan countries: And even in Christian countries, 
notwithstanding the light of the glorious gospel, the 
mind of man, blinded as it is by sin, entertains ten 
thousand misconceptions om religious subjects. Now, 
as man is rational and moral, and must, of course, be 
governed by the views of his own mind; it must be 
regarded as of the highest consequence, that his views’ 
should be right. Any mistake on the subject of re- 
ligion, tends directly to injure his great interests, as a 
moral being. Our office, then, as an office of benevo-« 


5 
lence, binds us to oppose error, ail error. Against 
this we are to wage perpetual war. 

But there are disorders of the heart and U/fe, as well 
as of the understanding. The world lieth in wicked- 
ness. Our sacred office, then, requires us to oppose 
wickedness,—to exert all our powers against moral evil. 
The interests of the universe depend on the resistance 
which is made against the cause of sin. This is the 
grand point of our warfare. We are to strive un- 
ceasingly against sin, whether in ourselves, or in the 
world around us. God forbids us to spare it in any 
of its forms. Whether we find it lifting its proud 
front among the rich, the learned, and the powerful, 
or creeping among the ignorant and the base, we must 
give it no countenance. We must pursue the same 
object with the Captain of our salvation, who came to 
destroy the empire of sin. 

Such, brethren, is our warfare. It is opposition 
against the errors and vices of men. It is a high and 
constant effort to convince them of their mistakes, and 
to persuade them to forsake their sins. 

We are to consider, secondly, what weapons are to 
be enployed in this warfare. We may at once de- 
termine this, from the nature and object of the warfare. 
Were we engaged in a warfare against a hostile nation, 
for the purpose of breaking down their military power, 
and bringing them into subjection; we should employ 
Weapons suited to such a purpose. To wound and 
destroy would constitute our success, and lay the foun-— 
dation for our triumph. The instruments we should 
use, would, of course, be instruments of death. But 
our warfare is directed against siz; and we must use 
instruments suited to convince men of the evil of sin, 
and to persuade them to forsake it. Sin consists in 


6 


the wrong dispositions and actions of rational, moral 
agents. The influence, exerted upon such agents, must 
be the influence of rational and moral considerations. 
And all rational and moral considerations are comprised 
in the system of divine truth. Divine truth, then, 
exhibited in all its extent, and with all its power, is 
the instrument, and the only instrument, to be em- 
ployed in our warfare. Whether we aim to subdue 
the pride and selfishness of men, or their enmity against 
God and his church, or their avarice, impurity, or 
revenge; we must do it by means of dmwme truth. 
Evincing. to men the unreasonableness and folly of 
their conduct,—presenting before them the promise of 
endless happiness, and the threat of endless misery,— 
what is all this, but the varied exhibition of divine 
truth? All the influence we can have over our fellow- 
creatures must be obtained in this way. In our war 
against sin, or, in plain terms, in our attempts to 
bring men to repentance, we are to do as Jesus did, 
—bear witness to the truth; or as Paul did,—declare 
all the counsel of God. Whatever we would accom- 
plish for the good of rational beings, we must accom- 
plish by the influence of truth. It is just as absurd 
to think of exerting a salutary influence over the 
minds and hearts of men, in any other way than by 
means of the truth, as to think of moving a machine, 
in any other way than by means of mechanical force. 

Let me say, however, that this instrumentality of 
divine truth in converting and saving men, is so far 
from being inconsistent with the highest view we can 
take of the influence of the Holy Spirit, that it is the 
very way, in which that influence is exerted. The 
divine Spirit undoubtedly has access to the minds of 
men, and produces all the holiness they ever possess. 


7 

But his influence upon min! must be suited to the 
nature of mind, which is rational and moral, and to 
the nature of the effects produced in mind; that is, 
rational and moral acts. And who needs to be told, 
that the mind is excited to rational and moral acts, 
by rational and moral motives? All that we can do, 
then, to subdue the power of sm and brmg men to 
holiness of life, is, to make known dwime truth. And 
all that the Spirit of God does, he does through this 
medium. So that there appears to be no way for us 
to promote the conversion and salvation of men, but 
the faithful exhibition of divine truth ; and there ap- 
pears no way for the Holy Spirit to do it, but dy 
making the truth impressive and efficacious. 

But our efforts must sometimes be diverted from 
the simple declaration of divine truth for the conversion 
of men, to the defence of the truth itself, and the con- 
futation of error. What weapons are we to employ 
in this part of our warfare? I answer as before; the 
means must be suited to the end sought. Rational 
beimgs are to be convinced, that the doctrines of reve- 
lation are true, and that other doctrines opposed to 
them are false. Now in what way can we convince 
rational beings that any doctrine is true, but by ex- 
hibiting the evidence of its truth? If indeed there are 
men, who will not believe self-evident propositions, or 
the simple and ultimate facts on which all knowledge 
is founded; we have nothimg to do with them, but 
to endeavour to cure them of their insanity. But when 
those, who are disposed to make a proper use of their 
reason, deny or doubt any doctrme of religion; our 
business is, to produce the evidence of its truth. 
And when they believe and publish any doctrine 
which is false; we are to produce the evidence of 


8 


its falsity. In this work, then, rational and scriptural 
arguments are the weapons we are to use. But per. 
mit me to say, that no arguments, however plausible, 
except those which are solid and conclusive, can, in 
any degree, subserve the cause of truth, Weak and 
inconclusive arguments, either by themselves, or mixed 
with those which are valid, are always an injury. 
When a Christian doctrine has been proved by a few 
strong arguments; of what use is the addition of oth- 
ers which are weak or fanciful ? Such arguments, 
by surrounding a doctrine of religion with so much 
that is false, not only obscure its lustre, but really 
‘make it Jess true, than it would be, if left alone. It 
is to be remembered too, that the conviction produced 
in the mind depends not at all on the number of 
proofs; as we very well know, that the perfect .con- 
viction resulting from mathematical demonstration, jis 
commonly produced by a single proof. Henge jit is 
frequently expedient, not only to -exclude weak ,and 
inconclusive arguments from our reasoning, but even 
to omit a part of those which are valid. Jn this .way, 
we bring the mind to feel the undivided force of jone 
strong, invincible argument; and thus, in some cases 
at least, render the effect more powerful, than sould 
be produced by a greater number of jarguments. (But 
whatever may be said as to the expediency ,of multi- 
plying arguments which are valid; it is surely anex- 
pedient and useless to employ those which ,will, oa 
examination, be found destitute of weight. dow »many 
times have men of sober judgment, after examining 
the arguments used to support .a ,particular »doctrine, 
been led to exclaim,—what shall we think of .@ doe- 
trine which needs such support? All wrong ,interpreta- 
tions of Scripture, all false maxims as to the philoso- 


9 


phy of mind, all mistaken views as to the moral or 
providential government of God, and the whole train 
of weak and sophistical arguments—what are they, but 
hinderances to the cause we would promote? False 
reasoning well enough becomes the propagators of er- 
ror; but why should the friends of truth employ it? 


Having pointed out the proper instruments of our 
warfare, I am now to show im what manner they are 
to be employed. 


A little sober reflection must make us sensible, that, 
in the defence of divine truth, we ought to lay aside 
all malice, and guile, and emulation, and strife, and 
evil speaking, and bitterness, and to govern ourselves 
by the spirit of love. But when engaged in our warfare, 
we are all in danger of suffering unhallowed passions 
to agitate our breasts, and of seizing carnal weapons 
to subdue our opposers; or, at least, of using spirit- 
ual, holy weapons in a carnal manner. It becomes 
necessary, therefore, that we should consider this part 
of the subject with special care; not so much for the 
purpose of convincing our reason and judgment, as of 
producing a proper effect on our moral feelings, on 
our habits, on the permanent state of our hearts; so 
that, whatever may be our temptations, we may be 
sure, in every -part of our warfare, to employ holy 
weapons in a holy manner. 

Here, brethren, Curist is to be our pattern. He 
made war against the kingdom of error and sin; and 
he pursued his warfare incessantly. We are to engage 
in the same war with the Captain of our salvation ; 
and we can best learn from him in what manner we 


B 


10 


are to use the weapons he has put into our hands.— 
But we cannot, for a moment, turn our thoughts to 
the example of the blessed Jesus, without admiration 
of his meekness and love, and without shame and 
grief at our unlikeness to him. All that Jesus did in 
opposing error, in establishing the truth, and in urging 
men to forsake their sins, he did from Jove. He had 
a sincere and constant affection for sinners. His com- 
passion was moved by their wretched state; and he 
sought the salvation of their souls. His love had no 
interruption. It was not extinguished by the most ma- 
lignant opposition. ‘That unreasonableness, pride, and 
obstinacy of wicked men, which is so apt to wear 
away the strength of our patience, and to kindle the 
fire of resentment, left the mind of Jesus perfectly tran- 
quil, and kind, and gentle. The violent prejudices of 
the Jews, their enmity and insults, never produced the ~ 
least irritation in his feelings,—never diverted him one 
moment from seeking their good. When they at- 
tempted to ensnare him by _ subtle questions, and 
urged him with objections which only betrayed their 
hostility against the truth; he still made use of noth- 
ing but argument and persuasion. Follow the’ Blessed 
Jesus from the commencement of his ministry to his 
death on the cross, and see in what manner he op- 
posed error and sin, and labored for victory over his 
enemies. Now can it be, brethren, that the Author 
of our religion intended, that his ministers should ex- 
hibit a temper of mind opposite to ‘his own ?—and 
that he would have that work, which he undertook 
from Jove, prosecuted by them from other and oppo- 
site motives? Can any one think of advancing the 
cause of such a Master, by railing at his opposers, 


li 


or by enlisting his pride or resentment in his own de- 
fence? We well know that Jesus was a friend to the 
truth; and that he would have us preach the truth 
wihout abatement, and without fear. But he would 
have us preach it as he did,—affectionately. We know 
too that Jesus would have us oppose error and sin. 
But he would have us do it as he did,—with benevo- 
lence to the souls of men. "There are ministers of the 
gospel,—I trust the number is inconsiderable,—yet 
there are ministers, and those too who aim to be 
faithful to their Lord, who yet preach the truth, and 
oppose error and sin, with looks and voice and man- 
ner so unmerciful and repulsive, that we might even 
doubt, whether they had ever heard the name of Je- 
sus. It is good for us, brethren, to be familiarly con- 
versant with the life of our divine Leader; to have 
in our minds a liying image of the manner in which 
he spake and acted; and frequently, especially when our 
patience and forbearance are ready to be exhausted, and 
we are exposed to some improper excitement of feeling, 
to place him, as it were, visibly before our eyes, and 
then to ask ourselves, how would the Blessed Jesus 
speak and act, were he in our stead? If we would 
subdue every degree of unkindness and irritation in 
our minds, and form ourselves to gentleness and love, 
especially in the manner of conducting our warfare ; 
let us think more of Christ, and be more imbued 
with the spirit he exhibited in all he spake and all 
he did. ; 

We may be farther aided in forming right concep- 
tions of the manner in which we are to use the weap- 
ons of our warfare, by considering the nature of the 
cause we are engaged to promote, and the ends at 


12 


which we are to aim. Our cause is the cause of 
Gop,—a being of consummate goodness. All that we 
do to promote such a cause, should be an exhibition 
of sincere goodness in us. We stand in God’s stead, 
and are to speak and act for him. And how can we 
do this, unless we are conformed to his character? 
Our cause is the cause of holiness. And can we 
promote the cause of holiness by unholy passions ?— 
the cause of moral purity, by impurity? It is the 
cause of truth; and whatever we do to promote it 
must be prompted by Jove to the truth,—love un- 
tainted by any sinful passion. What a moral absurdi- 
ty must it be, to oppose error, for the sake of dis- 
playing ourselves and gaining applause? What more 
dangerous error can there be, than ambition and vanity ? 
And would it not be best to be rid of these errors of 
our own hearts, before we undertake to oppose the errors 
of intellect, which are entertained by our fellow-creatures? 
-——Our cause is the cause of Auman salvation. Wheth- 
er therefore we attempt to defend the truth, to confute 
error, or to expose the evil of sin, we must aim 
steadily to promote the salvation of men; and we 
must wield our weapons in a manner suited to this 
end; that is, suited to persuade men to repent and 
become followers of Christ, 


With these principles in view, which I doubt not 
my fathers and brethren will allow to be correct, let us 
take a free and unprejudiced survey of the manner, in 
which the ministers of Christ and the advocates of his 
cause have carried on their warfare, in times past, and 


see what lessons we can learn from it in relation to 
our own duty. 


13 


And here suffer me to say, that one of the foulest 
blots upon the Christian religion, and, as I must think, 
one of the greatest hinderances to its general diffusion, 
has been, that its friends have brought to its defence 
such a mixture of human passion. Let me not be 
understood to imply that the great propagators of re- 
ligion have prevailingly made use of carnal weapons, 
or that they have been destitute of Christian love. 
But when I read the useful writings of Luther and 
other Reformers, in opposition to the errors and cor- 
ruptions of the Romish Church,—with all my admi- 
ration for characters so far elevated above my own, I 
cannot but find, here and there, what I think could 
never have been learned in the school of Christ. In 
the heat of battle, those excellent men appear some- 
times to have forgotten, that they were called to seek 
the salvation of their enemies, not their destruction. 
They forgot that the soul of a Pope or a Papist was 
as precious, as the soul of a Protestant, and that Je- 
sus died for one, as well as the other ;—or else they 
forgot, that hard names, violent criminations, censures, 
and anathemas, were not among the appointed means 
of saving the soul. Every thing of this kind must 
have tended to create strong and invincible prejudices 
against the cause of the Reformation. The Reformers 
indeed made use of powerful and conclusive reasoning ; 
and so far they did well. But had not their reasoning 
some accompaniments, directly calculated to perpetuate 
the enmity of those, whom they ought, by every act 
of kindness, to have labored to conciliate ?—The 
Reformers had zeal,—zeal highly commendable, and 
of great use to their cause. But their zeal had, some- 
times, an aspect of fierceness, not at all like the zeal of 


14 


Jesus. And what did the fierceness of zeal in them 
do, but generate greater fierceness in their opposers ? 
Their zeal was good;—but love is as good as zeal. 

The remarks I have just made, relate to that suc- 
cession of excellent men, who, by their preaching and 
their pens, opposed the usurpations and errors of pope- 
ry. We know they made a powerful and successful 
opposition ; and would forever bless God, that through 
their labors, divine truth diffused its pure light so 
extensively. But we wish that it had been made to 
shine still more extensively; that the true spirit of 
the Reformation had received no check; that the glori- 
ous conquest begun had been continued, till the whole 
mass of corruption, which had been accumulating for 
ages, had been swept away forever. And with a view 
to this happy result, we wish that those, who labored 
in the cause of the Reformation, had uniformly ex- 
hibited characters of unsullied excellence. Freely in- 
deed do we acknowledge them to have been greatly 
superior to us in all the grand qualities of Christian 
and ministerial character. But who can_hesitate to say, 
they might have risen to a still higher eminence? 
We are aware, that they have sometimes been ap- 
plauded for that very violence and wrath, which de- 
tracted so much from the beauty of their character, 
and proved such obstacles to the farther triumph of 
their cause. Nor is it by any means difficult to ac- 
count for this. We are always prone to think well 
of that excitement of wrathful passion, which generally 
attends what is called heroic virtue, because every 
contest, in which we engage with earnestness, is apt 
to excite a kindred flame in our own breasts; and 
thus, for our own justification, we are tempted to re- 


15 


gard such excitement of passion, as a part of faithful- 
ness and piety. We applaud the excesses and disor- 
ders of zeal, because they are the products of our 
common nature; and we withhold our homage from 
the meekness and gentleness of Christ, because this, 
besides being a retired and silent virtue, is one which 
we cannot attain, without painful self-denial. 

The sum of what I would advance in regard to the 
Reformers, is, not they had too much zeal, but too 
little love ;—not that they showed too strong an attach- 
ment to those who aided the Reformation, but too lit- 
tle concern for the salvation of those who opposed it; 
—not that they had too much decision of character, 
but too little gentleness;—not that they declared the 
truth with too great boldness or fidelity, but with too 
little wisdom; and finally, not that they manifested 
too determined an abhorrence of the malignant spirit 
-of persecuting pontiffs and inquisitors, but that they 
suffered their abhorrence at length to contract a degree 
of likeness to that very malignity, against which it was 
directed. ‘These obvious imperfections of the Reform- 
ers, though more than overbalanced by their various 
excellences, were sufficient to sully their characters, 
and to become mighty obstacles to the success of 
their cause. Who can tell what happy consequences 
would have followed, had those excellent men, who 
labored to rid the church of the corruptions of pope- 
ry, uniformly cherished and exhibited pure love to the 
souls of men, specially to the souls of their oppeosers 
and enemies, and used, without weariness, all the at- 
tractive methods, suggested by love, to win them to 
the truth? Who can tell how happy would have been 
the consequence, had they shown a disposition to 


16 


avoid, as far as possible, every thing wounding to the 
feelings or the reputation of those, whose errors they 
refuted; to do full justice to all their good qualities, 
and, as far as might be consistent with fidelity, to 
draw a veil over their faults? Had this spirit of meek- 
ness, and forbearance, and candor pervaded all their 
writings, and labors, and sufferings; who can tell 
with what higher power the weapons of their warfare 
would have been invested, and what higher victories 
they would have gained? Alas! that any causes, 
especially on their part, should have helped to put a 
stop to the progress of the Reformation, and to con- 
tinue, even to the present time, that state of Christen- 
dom, over which we have so often uttered our deep- 
est lamentations. 


Brethren, we have turned our eyes upon a contest 
which took place long ago, and in which we can feel 
no direct, personal concern; and respecting which we 
are, therefore, under peculiar advantages to form an 
impartial judgment. May I now be permitted to speak 
with freedom respecting the manner, in which minis- 
ters of the Gospel have, in some instances, carried on 
their warfare at the present day, and in our own 
country. 

Those who have preached divine truth in the Unit- 
ed States, taken collectively, have not been inferior, 
in weight of character, or in faithful, efficient labors, 
to any equal number of ministers in Christendom. 
They have fought a good fight; have successfully 
wielded the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of 
God; and precious will be their names to distant 
posterity. We ought to remember them with unceas- 
ing gratitude to God; and happy should we be, if 


7 


we might copy their example. On _ the imperfections 
found, in any instances, among ministers so pious and 
faithful, and so deserving of our veneration and love, 
I would make no remarks, were it not that our own 
improvement, as well as the honor of our Lord, seems 
to require it. 

Permit me, then, to say, that, although the times 
are different, and the mode of warfare in some respects 
is greatly changed for the better since the period of 
the Reformation; yet there are not wanting instances, 
in which the same general fault has shown itself among 
the ministers of our own country. Here let me state 
a case, like what has sometimes occurred; and, to 
make the fault I would describe perfectly visible, let 
me state the case strongly. 

A minister of the Gospel enters on the duties of 
his office, with a resolution to serve Christ faithfully, 
and to promote, in the highest degree possible, the 
welfare of the Church. But being wanting in suavity 
of temper, or being irritated perhaps by ill treatment, 
or soured by the ignorance and stupidity of his people, 
he contracts a habit of preaching and conversing, with- 
out the appearance or the emotions of love. He may 
still declare truths calculated to be useful; but he is 
wanting in tender, paternal feeling. He is not gentle 
among his people. He does not weep over them. He 
does not pant for their conversion; does not travail 
in birth that Christ may be formed in them; and is 
not willing to suffer for their salvation. And he may 
at length become so alienated from them, that he can 
take no pleasure in any exertions for their welfare. 
Mixing the acrimony of his temper with /his convic- 


C 


18 


tions of duty and his zeal to do good, he preaches 
divine truth with harshness, and really seems to think 
he does God service by reproaching and vexing his 
hearers, and letting them see that they are objects of 
his contempt. Sometimes he storms and casts his 
thunderbolts at them, as though he were commission- 
ed, not to invite them to heaven, but to drive them 
to perdition. Or if he falls short of this excessive 
degree of ill temper and violence, he still has so much 
of it, as to give an unlovely and repulsive aspect both 
to his character and his ministry. The natural con- 
sequence is, that his people have less love and esteem 
both for him, and for the religion which he preaches. 
They are less disposed to listen to his instructions, 
and less prepared to derive benefit from them. ‘The 
Spirit of God may indeed give efficacy to the truth, 
even when preached in such a faulty manner; and 
many sinners may be converted. But their religious 
character will, in all probability, partake of the faults 
of their spiritual father. If he is uncandid, censorious, 
bitter, violent; they will be so too. Divine truth it- 
self, the means of their sanctification, when it comes 
to their minds from such a minister, is associated with 
acrimony and harshness. The ¢ruth makes its own 
impression; and so does the acrimony. 

The mistake in the mode of warfare, now winder 
consideration, never becomes more visible, than in re- 
ligious controversy. A minister of the gospel loves 
the doctrines of God’s word. They are his life. But 
he hears them denied and opposed. He remémbers 
that he is set for the defence of the gospel, and must 
contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the 
saints, Thus far all is right. But by and by he meets 


19 


with something which gives disturbance to his feelings, 
The reasoning of his opponents, though specious, is 
sophistical. ‘They misrepresent his views, and miscon- 
strue his language. And he perceives in them a 
strength of prejudice, which no evidence can overcome. 
They undervalue his talents, and begin to raise the 
shout of victory. As for him,—he is weary of using ar- 
gument; his strength is exhausted ; and his good temper 
is exhausted too. Under the influence of these and 
other like circumstances, he pursues the controversy. 
And now it is a war indeed; and you must not think it 
strange, if it becomes a sanguinary war. As to kind- 
ness, forbearance, candor,—he gives them no_ place. 
The means he now uses are, to make an odious rep- 
resentation of the sentiments of his opponents; to 
blacken their names with reproachful epithets; to give 
them no credit either for talents or character; to deny 
their arguments to be deserving of the least considera- 
tion; in a word, to smite them as often as he can, 
and make his blows as heavy as he can. Such is the 
fire of zeal and controversy, which possesses his breast. 
And it will be a great wonder, if the heat and bitter- 
ness of his feelings towards his antagonists do not 
occasionally boil over, to the annoyance of his own 
congregation, and his own family. 

Thus has it been, and may I not say, thus is it 
still, in some lamentable instances, with the earnest 
advocate of divine truth. But it is to be remembered, 
that the causes, which thus affect his character, are 
not peculiar to im, but common to a//. He is sub- 
ject to these faults, because, though a Christian minis- 
ter, he is a man, Obzher principles combine with his 
love to Christ, and his desire to do good. And how 


20 


deplorable are the results, often produced, by this mix- 
ture of the wrath of man with the holy fervor of 
an ambassador of Christ! Can there be any thing 
more offensive to the meek and benevolent Saviour, 
or more dishonorable to his cause, than the conduct 
of a minister, who employs such weapons in defencé 
of divine truth? These weapons are employed, as a 
matter of course, by the enemy of divine truth. They 
suit his cause; and he can do nothing without them. 
But with the defender of the truth it ought not so to 
be. He should remember, that such instruments can 
never be of any service to his cause. But the war- 
ring minister forgets this; and in the heat of battle,— 
for it is a battle literally,—he uses the same weapons 
as his enemies, though with less deterity. He discolors 
their reasoning and their sentiments, as they do his. 
He seems to take pleasure in whatever exposes their 
feelings to mortification, or their characters to contempt. 
He neglects to pray for them; or if his conscience 
compels him to attempt it, he finds his heart is not 
in it, and he gives it over. In fact, the very flame, 
which burns in the breasts of his enemies, has kindled 
in his; and he fights for the truth in the same man- 
ner, as they fight for error ;—for the cause of holiness, 
as they do for the cause of sin. Oh! brethren, what 
a warfare is this! 

Now is there no way for the ministers of Christ, 
the advocates of divine truth, to avoid these obvious 
faults of character, and these hurtful mistakes in the 
manner of defending the truth? Undoubtedly there is. 
And I should think I had not lived in vain, nor per- 
formed the service assigned me at this time, in vain, 
could I contribute, in the smallest measure, towards 


21 


guarding any of my. brethren against that, which would 
be so inconsistent with their relation to Christ, and 
so discreditable to their sacred cause. 

The great and effectual remedy for the evils which 
I have described, is, the constant and lively exercise 
of love ;—not that love which resembles the weakness 
of a fond parent, who, to prevent a little present suf- 
fering in a sick or wounded child, will expose him 
to the loss of his life; but that love which aims at 
the highest good of its objects, and extends its kind 
purposes and salutary exertions to all human beings 
within its reach. We must love those, whose errors 
we labor to confute, and those, whose sins we would 
show to be inexcusable. We must love them, be- 
cause they are creatures of God; because they are 
immortal; because they are our fellow-creatures, and © 
must shortly appear with us before a righteous tribu- 
nal. We must love them, because Christ, who died 
for us, died for them also, and the same sovereign 
grace, which, we hope, has visited us, may also visit 
them. Christian love, raised to a proper degree, and 
kept in constant exercise, will guard us against all 
the evils which have been pointed out, and lead us 
to use, in the very best manner, the weapons of our 
warfare. 

It is utterly in vain to pretend, that a minister, 
thus influenced by the spirit of love and tenderness, 
will be inclined to withhold those truths, which are 
alarming and painful to the wicked. It will be as far 
from this as possible. Was not Jesus all gentleness 
and love? And did not HE declare alarming and pain- 
ful truths ?—Yes, brethren, real benevolence to sinners, 


D 


22 


existing in a suitable degree, will excite us to declare 
all the counsel of God, as the only means of promot- 
ing their highest good. Love is no timid or sluggish 
principle. Nothing on earth is so active and bold. 
It seeks its object with invincible resolution. In its 
means of persuasion it is inexhaustible. It takes no 
denial. It never yields to discouragement, and never 
fails.—Behold a pious father on the bed of death. 
He lifts up his eyes upon dear children, under the 
dominion of sin, and exposed to endless ruin. His 
heart swells with love to their souls, and it is his last 
opportunity to do any thing for their eternal happiness. 
Now who will declare the truth to them so clearly 
and so fully, as this affectionate father? Who will 

give them warning so solemnly? Who will tell them — 
their sins and their dangers so faithfully ?—Only let 
a minister’s heart be thus filled with tenderness ; let 
him love his congregation, as this affectionate, dying 
father loves his children; and he will preach the truths 
of religion without reserve, and without fear. He will 
have a boldness, compared with which all the bluster- 
ing of passion is cowardice. At the same time, his 
love will flow out in such visible forms, that all will 
be convinced of its sincerity. Under the influence of 
such affection, he will freely and fearlessly utter all his 
heart,—will .proclaim the most tremendous truths, the 
most dreadful threats, the most alarming consequences 
of sin; and yet nothing, except pride and perverseness 
itself, can take offence. Did ever a child take offence, 
while a kind, weeping father was teaching and warn- 
‘ing him from a dying bed? Nothing can affect the 
feelings of a congregation so deeply, or gain for divine 
truth so favorable a hearing, as the overflowing affec- 


23 


tion of a minister’s heart. No eloquence is so con- 
vincing or persuasive, as the eloquence of love. I say 
then, and I say it without the least disparagement to 
genius or taste, that the grand secret of faithful and 
persuasive preaching, lies in the exercise of enlightened, 
pure, ardent love. 

This same affection, reigning in the breast of a minis- 
ter, will render him zealous for the defence of the truth, 
whenever he is called to it, in the way of rehgious 
controversy. It is indeed true, that the purity and 
dignity of his ruling passion will never suffer him to 
resort to the violence or the artifices, sometimes em- 
ployed in controversy. But no man can take ‘so deep 
an interest in divine truth; no man can exercise so 
unconquerable a patience and perseverance in his la- 
-bors to vindicate and promote the truth and put a 
stop to error, as he, who loves God with all his heart, 
and his neighbour as himself. 

Now if Christian benevolence will certainly prompt 
a minister of the gospel to exhibit entire the truths 
of revelation; what shall we say of him who with- 
holds them? Are not the truths of revelation, however 
incomprehensible to reason, and however distasteful to 
the unsanctified heart, the very means, appointed by 
the God of love, for converting sinners, and training 
up believers for the kingdom of heaven? Are they 
not the means of promoting revivals of religion, which 
are eminently, the work of benevolence? The minister, 
who suppresses any portion of divine truth,—who neg- 
lects to make a full exhibition of the essential prin- 
ciples of revelation, just as they lie in the Bible,’ stands 
chargeable with the want of that benevolence, which 
led the Son of God to bear witness to the truth. And 


24 


tet me add, that such a minister is much more want: 
ing in love, than he who mingles with a fearless dec- 
laration of the whole counsel of God, a faulty severity . 
and harshness. The one, by faithfully exhibiting the 
truth, performs substantially the act of Jove, though 
not in the best manner. ‘The other omits the act 
altogether, 


To conclude. Knowing that this is my first and 
my last opportunity of addressing you on such an 
occasion as the present, and that he who speaks and 
every one who hears, are hastening to the judgment 
seat of Christ, I have allowed myself to use freedom 
and plainness of speech, and have endeavoured to 
perform the seryice allotted me, as one who must 
give account. And now, fathers and brethren, if we 
are indeed faithful servants of Christ, let us ‘keep in 
mind what is the object of our warfare, and what are 
the weapons we are to use. Let all that we do in 
this sacred work be prompted and regulated by dove, 
Let us cultivate faith, zeal, fortitude, and every Christ- 
jan grace,—above all, Jove. Our God is a God of 
love. The religion we preach is a religion of love; 
and the heaven we seek is a heaven of love. What- 
ever difficulties and hardships we may have to en- 
dure, and whateyer enemies to encounter, let us never 
cease tq maintain the spirit of love. Wrath, bitter- 
ness, violence, never did any good to the cause of 
Christ, and never will. They are weapons which do 
not belong to our warfare. :The moment we use 
them, we turn traitors, and go over to the side of the 
enemy. ionic 


25 


Whenever we find men. ignorant or erroneous, let 
us labor to give them instruction. And whenever 
we give instruction, Jet us take pains to be under- 
stood. Let us endeavour to show others the real form 
of divine truth,—just as it lies in our own minds, 
when we believe it the most strongly, and find its 
practical influence upon ourselves the most salutary. 
Let us remember in what manner we ourselves have 
been. freed from hurtful misapprehensions and errors, 
and thus learn how others may -be freed from the 
same. 

Amid all our labors and difficulties, let us indulge 
the animating reflection, that the weapons of our war- 
fare are not feeble and inefficient, but mighty through 
God, to the pulling down of strong holds, casting 
down imaginations, and every high thing which ex- 
alteth itself against the knowledge of God. We are 
called to execute our office in different. places, and in 
different circumstances. But our work is substantially 
the same. In every place, sin has its strong holds, 
and will make powerful resistance against every attack. 
But the word of God, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, 
has power to overcome its resistance, and to demolish 
all its strong holds. Away then with every discour- 
agement. Soldiers of the cross, go forward. Look to 
your divine Leader. Hear his voice. ‘Take hold on 
his everlasting strength. Bring his enemies to his feet ; 
and enlarge his empire. Earthly victories and joys are 
all vanity. But to bring one sinner to repentance,— 
to win one soul to Christ, is a victory and a joy, 
worthy of a Christian minister. Wherever you preach 
the gospel, brethren, may you have this victory and 


¢ * 
26 


this joy a thousand times repeated: Let the hope of 
this cheer your hearts, and excite your unceasing ef- | 
forts. Those who are enlisted in a war against God 
and his truth, may well be dismayed, and may fret 
and rave in view of their approaching overthrow. But 
not so with you. The Captain of your salvation is 
almighty. Fear not then; your humble prayers shall 
be answered; your labors shall be crowned with glo- 
rious success; and the cause of truth shall triumph in 
all the earth, Amen. 


